Caring Communities, is all about working with parents, carers and wider stakeholders to explore and create offers that we will pilot, develop and share with the network and cumulatively will work towards change.
We realise that change isn’t a destination, it’s a journey, and we will use these pages to give you an update on the steps towards change that we are looking to accomplish through the project, and who is involved in this process.
How will we do this?
To work towards change, we know we need to work in partnership with others. We will do this through a number of Working Groups, which will explore and design ideas and offers that will pilot options. You can see a full list of these working groups, across all three of the project strands on the main Updates from the Caring Communities of Change Project webpage.
In additional to this, the working groups will share their learning through various stakeholder events throughout the year – which are open to all who are interested in getting involved in the project, or simply have an interest in alternative respite and short break options for families.
As we move back to face-to-face events, we want to make sure that we are as inclusive and as flexible as possible to ensure that your voice is heard. For a full list of our upcoming events, please visit our events page
Powys – Respitality
We are working with partners in Powys to explore versions, based on principles of the Scottish Respitality model, which connect parents and carers with the hospitality sector for a well-earned break.
During an event in November 2020, interested parent and carers and wider stakeholders identified opportunities, barriers and next steps as part of a Respitality roadmap, which you can see below.
Currently, the working group is identifying pilot businesses and parents and carers to take part in a small pilot and agreeing the shared goal for the group over the next 12 months.
Partners Include –
- Credu
- Powys County Council
- Respitality Scotland
- Representatives of Swansea University and Bangor University
Staycation – Across Wales
Staycation isn’t a new idea. Wales is a beautiful county, with lots to see and experience with our families.
What we would like to explore is an idea where connected parents and carers swap houses in order to have short period of break with their respective families, the houses would be matched based on the families care needs. The families involved would increase their social circles and help create a network of connected and resilient carers who are able to support each other.
Our Director, Kate Young, describes the Staycation idea in a little more detail below –
https://youtu.be/r2CiqpYdv4s
Our initial Staycation Stakeholder Event identified a number of opportunities, barriers and potential stakeholders for this idea through the Staycation Roadmap.
In the first stakeholder meeting of the year we will focus on hosting a series of conversations, with the aim of identifying a network of families that would like to take part in a pilot opportunity for the idea over the next 12 months.
Direct Breaks – Flintshire
The Working Group in North Wales is concentrating of the flexible and creative uses of Direct Payments to access short breaks and respite.
During lockdown, there have been a number of examples of Direct Payments being used flexibly to meet the needs of families in accessing respite opportunities. The working group aims to follow families during this process of using Direct Payments flexibly to access short breaks and work alongside partners to test ideas and ways of making the process of accessing Direct Payments easier and more flexible for families.
We held a conversation on this topic with project partners in January to see ‘what matters’ to families and how we might start to take some first steps on this journey. This conversation has been visualised below –
Currently, the working group is identifying pilot businesses and parents and carers to take part in a small pilot and agreeing the shared goal for the group over the next 12 months.
Partners Include –
- North Wales People Together
- Flintshire County Council
- Flintshire People Do It
